A roundup of classic Showa-era kayō songs: a comprehensive introduction to timeless tracks loved across generations.
Songs released in the Showa era—what we call Showa kayokyoku—are truly full of timeless masterpieces!
If you’re an adult born in the Showa period, you probably know just how wildly popular Showa kayokyoku was with the entire nation back then.
Meanwhile, even for younger people born in the Heisei era and later, there are still plenty of Showa kayokyoku songs you hear all the time today, and I’m sure many of you can sing quite a few of them without looking at the lyrics.
In this article, we’ll introduce a whole lineup of Showa kayokyoku classics that have continued to be loved across generations.
Take this opportunity to listen again with fresh ears and immerse yourself fully in the world of kayokyoku.
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Collection of classic Showa-era kayō songs: A comprehensive introduction to timeless tracks loved across generations (61–70)
As long as the sun is in the skynishikino akira
As a bona fide singer known for more than just his looks, Akira Nishikino delivers a clear, soaring vocal while maintaining a cool expression in this signature song.
From this footage—featuring the already-popular group Four Leaves on backing vocals—you can clearly sense just how widespread his popularity was at the time.
Les MisérablesAn Ruisu
It was a hit in 1986, five years after giving birth.
Like Roppongi Shinju, it was a song that was really often sung at karaoke.
The lyrics work precisely because it’s Ann Lewis.
Her marriage to Masahiro Kuwana lasted four years, but I still vividly remember when both of them performed at an outdoor concert in Osaka while their son, Miyuji—now a musician—was a baby: when one was playing, the other would hold him and watch the stage from the wings.
In 2013, after releasing a CD made by the three of them as a family, Ann Lewis retired completely.
It’s a shame.
Beautiful NameGodaigo
This is Godiego’s ninth single, released in 1979.
As a supporting song for the International Year of the Child and through NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” it was frequently heard in living rooms across Japan.
Let your body sway to the pleasant sound that blends Japanese and English.
triggertsuisuto
This is Twist’s smash hit, known for the episode where they declined the New Artist Award at the 1978 Japan Record Awards and didn’t perform.
People said at the time that the lyrics were ordinary for such a song, but Masanori Sera was just so cool that I was glued to the TV.
UFOpinku redii
This is a signature song by Pink Lady, the duo that took the Showa-era pop scene by storm.
Its appeal lies in its innovative lyrics depicting a romance with an alien and its cutting-edge sound that makes extensive use of electronic tones.
Released in December 1977, it was a massive hit, selling 1.95 million copies.
It won the 20th Japan Record Awards and became a social phenomenon.
From 2014 to 2019, it consistently ranked high in JASRAC’s copyright royalty distribution rankings, and it won the JASRAC Award in 2018 and 2019.
The song has been used in Nissin Foods commercials and the anime Crayon Shin-chan, and is beloved across generations.
It’s also a karaoke staple and is recommended for those who want to savor the glamorous atmosphere of the Showa era.